Traditionally, seals are used to prevent fluids from flowing between joints of rigid components. In particular examples, seals are used in pumps and between flanges to limit fluid flow out of containment regions. For example, seals along pump shafts may limit lubricating fluids or pressurized process fluids from escaping along an annulus defined by the shaft and a housing. Typically, such seals have been formed of malleable materials, such as graphite or metal strips in the case of flange seals or elastomeric materials in the case of shaft seals. However, traditional materials have proven ill suited for new applications, such as high-pressure liquid chromatography systems.
High-pressure liquid chromatography uses a high-pressure liquid carrier medium to separate chemical species by moving the species across an adsorption medium. Different chemical components adsorb on and desorb from the adsorption medium at different rates, resulting in separation of the components as the carrier medium moves through or around the adsorption medium. To avoid contamination of the adsorption medium, some typical pumps are designed to operate without the use of lubricants because the liquid carrier medium used in such high-pressure liquid chromatography systems often acts as a strong solvent and lubricant dissolved in such solvents may contaminate adsorption media. Further, the liquid carrier medium may adversely affect sealing materials and the high pressure of such mediums may lead to leaking and low seal lifetimes. Other typical seal designs may increase wear on pump components, such as rods or shafts.
As such, an improved seal and an improved pump for use in such systems would be desirable.